The Covenant Renewed
(words for hymns and bible reading can be found below the order of service)
Welcome and Intimations
Call to Worship
HYMN CH4 225 Summer suns are glowing
Prayer & Lord’s Prayer
HYMN MP 988 How deep the Father’s love for us
Readings: Joshua 24: 1-2 & 14-18
John 6: 66-69
Reflection
HYMN MP 624 Take my life and let it be
Reading: Ephesians 6: 10-20
Reflection
HYMN MP 604 Soldiers of Christ arise
Prayers for the world
HYMN MP 1072 In Christ alone
Benediction
HYMN CH4 225 Summer suns are glowing
1 Summer suns are glowing
over land and sea;
happy light is flowing,
bountiful and free.
Everything rejoices
in the the rays;
all earth’s thousand voices
swell the psalm of praise.
2 See God’s mercy streaming
over all the world,
and his banner gleaming,
everywhere unfurled.
Broad and deep and glorious,
as the heaven above,
shines in might victorious
his eternal love.
3 Lord, upon our blindness
your pure radiance pour;
for your loving-kindness
make us love you more.
And, when clouds are drifting
dark across the sky,
then, the veil uplifting;
Father, still be nigh.
4 We will never doubt you,
though you veil your light;
life is dark without you;
death with you is bright.
Light of light, shine o’er us
on our pilgrim way;
still go on before us,
to the endless day.
HYMN MP 988 How deep the Father’s love for us
1 How deep the Father’s love for us,
how vast beyond all measure,
that He should give His only Son
to make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss-
the Father turns His face away,
as wounds which mar the chosen one
bring many sons to glory.
2 Behold the man upon a cross,
my sin upon His shoulders;
ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life –
I know that it is finished.
3. I will not boast in anything,
no gifts, no power, no wisdom;
but I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer,
but this I know with all my heart,
His wounds have paid my ransom..
Joshua 24: 1-2 & 14-18
Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, and they presented themselves before God.
Joshua said to all the people, ‘Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshipped beyond the River Euphrates and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.’
Then the people answered, ‘Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we travelled. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.’
John 6
From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
‘You do not want to leave too, do you?’ Jesus asked the Twelve.
Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.’
HYMN MP 624 Take my life and let it be
1 Take m life, and let it be
consecrated, Lord to Thee;
take my moments and my days,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2 Take my hands, and let them move
at the impulse of Thy love;
take my feet, and let them be
swift and beautiful for Thee.
3 Take my voice, and let me sing
always, only, for my King;
take my lips, and let them be
filled with messages from Thee.
4 Take my silver, and my gold
not a mite would I withhold;
take my intellect, and use
every power as Thou shalt choose.
5 Take my will, and make it Thine;
it shall be no longer mine;
take my heart, it is Thine own;
it shall be Thy royal throne.
6 Take my love, my Lord, I pour
at Thy feet its treasure store;
take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all, for Thee.
Ephesians 6: 10-20
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
HYMN MP 604 Soldiers of Christ arise
1 Soldiers of Christ, arise,
and put your armour on,
strong in the strength
which God supplies
through His enteral Son.
Strong in the Lord of hosts,
and in His mighty powers;
who in the strength of Jesus trusts
is more than conqueror.
2 Stand then in His great might,
with all His strength endued;
and take, to arm you for the fight,
the panoply of God;
to keep your armour bright,
attend with constant care,
still walking in your Captain’s sight
and watching unto prayer.
3 From strength to strength go on,
wrestle and fight and pray;
tread all the powers of darkness down
and win the well-fought day.
That, having all things done,
and all your conflicts past,
ye may o’ercome through Christ alone,
and stand entire at last.
HYMN MP 1072 In Christ alone
1 In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this cornerstone, this solid ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm
what depths of peace
when fears are stilled,
when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all,
here in the love of Christ I stand.
2 In Christ alone – who took on flesh,
fullness of God in helpless Babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
scorned by the ones he came to save,
till on that cross as Jesus died,
the wrath of God was satisfied;
for every sin on Him was laid;
here in the death of Christ I live.
3 There in the ground his body lay,
light of the world by darkness slain,
then, bursting forth in glorious day,
up from the grave He rose again!
And as he stands in victory
sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
for I am His and He is mine –
brought with the precious blood of Christ.
4 No guilt in life, no fear in death,
this is the power of Christ in me;
from life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man
can ever pluck me from His hand;
till He returns or calls me home,
here in the power of Christ I’ll stand!